Yoga for COPD

Written by Clair Janchote
| Published on February 23, 2012Medically Reviewed by George Krucik, MD

Yoga is an excellent form of exercise for almost anyone with
COPD. It is relatively low impact, and it can help to improve both emotional
and physical health.

The National Centre for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine describes yoga as a “mind-body practice,” and although yoga has its
roots in Eastern philosophy, you do not have to hold any spiritual or religious
beliefs to take part in classes. Yoga is,
to a certain extent, a “mind-body-spirit” practice, yet it is possible to find
classes that focus on yoga as a way to stay fit, flexible, and relaxed.

Many classes, including those offered for people with
diagnosed health conditions, do not focus on the spiritual elements of yoga
practice. However, if you feel you would benefit from the spiritual side of
yoga, that’s okay too. The main thing is to find something that works for you.

Yoga practice is made up of two essential parts. Physical
postures, known as asanas, and
breathing techniques, known as pranayama.

Yoga asanas are
performed to help improve your general fitness levels, range of motion,
balance, and flexibility. They can also help to raise your energy levels and
clear the mind from worry.

Breathing techniques
are a vital part of yoga practice. They can help you to control your breathing
and teach you how to use your lungs more fully. Breathing exercises are
performed as you hold the asanas and separately as stand-alone exercises.

Meditation and relaxation are also key parts of a regular
yoga practice.

According to The University of Maryland Medical Center, yoga
“improves fitness, lowers blood pressure, promotes relaxation and
self-confidence, and reduces stress and anxiety.”

Benefits of Yoga for People With COPD

Yoga classes for people with COPD offer a modified form of
yoga, so don’t worry that you will be expected to contort your body into a
variety of complicated poses. They are created with the health needs of people
with COPD in mind and should provide you with a gentle, easy and effective way
to manage your health and emotional well-being.

Gentle stretching and bending exercises help to improve
fitness and flexibility, while breathing exercises give you the tools to
confidently manage any attacks of breathlessness. The techniques taught should
also be easy enough so that they can also be practiced at home.

An Easy Way to Exercise

Yoga incorporates a series of mostly stationary exercises
performed standing or sitting down. Asanas encourage flexibility while also
building physical strength, which helps to increase exercise tolerance.

Enhanced Breathing Techniques

Pranayama breathing techniques can help you to manage
symptoms of breathlessness by strengthening the respiratory muscles.

Opportunity to Manage Stress and Anxiety Through Relaxation Techniques

Yoga encourages deep relaxation through breathing and
meditation techniques. This helps to relieve stress and tension.

Social Interaction

A yoga class for people with COPD provides an excellent
opportunity for a fun, sociable activity. Spending time with other people on a regular
basis can help to improve your overall mood and reduce feelings of isolation.

An Aid to Help You Quit Smoking

The American Lung Association suggests that yoga practice
may help relieve symptoms of stress relating to smoking cessation.

Yoga Asanas for COPD

The following yoga postures can help people with COPD build
strength and maintain flexibility. A good yoga teacher will show you how to
breathe deeply and correctly in order to enhance your yoga practice.

Always consult your health care provider to get the “all
clear” before practicing any form of exercise. Check that the yoga teacher is
fully qualified and that they understand the needs of people who have COPD
completely.

Standing Mountain Pose

This straightforward “standing tall” pose helps to open up
the chest. Arms can be raised or left by the sides.

Standing Back Bend

This pose also helps to open up the muscles of the chest but
needs to be practiced carefully to avoid muscle strain and breathlessness.

Seated Forward Bends

These poses help to strengthen the respiratory system.

Standing Side Bends

These will help to strengthen the diaphragm whilst also
improving flexibility of the rib cage.

There are many more asanas that can be modified to help
build strength and flexibility in people with COPD. It is vital that you learn
yoga from a qualified, recognized practitioner.

Yoga Breathing for COPD

Yoga highlights proper breathing and its two main functions.
Yogis believe that correct breathing brings more oxygen into the blood, and
helps to control vital energy—this, in turn, helps to calm the mind.

Pursed-lip breathing and diaphragm breathing are two
techniques that have their roots in yoga. They are often taught to people with
COPD as a part of their pulmonary rehabilitation program.

Another useful breathing technique for people with COPD is abdominal breathing. The technique is
as follows:

Focus on contracting the lower abdomen and
ribs and as you breathe out. This helps to raise the diaphragm, enabling the
lungs to empty fully and thus improving the depth of your breathing.

Safety Advice

It is vital that you consult your health care provider
before embarking on any exercise program. Ask your doctor about yoga classes
for COPD in your area.

It is essential to check the credentials of any yoga teacher
before you begin classes. It is also vital that you inform them of your
condition and health needs.

Yoga poses that restrict breathing by putting pressure on
the diaphragm, such as the child’s pose or the plough, should be avoided at all
costs. Consult a yoga expert for advice on which asanas are suitable for people
with COPD.

When practicing yoga, or any form of exercise, be sure to
keep your inhalers or oxygen supply close by.

If, at any time during the class, you experience shortness
of breath stop exercising immediately. Use your medication and rest fully until
you feel well enough to begin again.

What The Experts Say

A 2010 study on the effects of yoga for people with COPD
followed 33 patients with documented cases of COPD. Patients were taught yoga
postures, breathing exercises, and meditation by a certified yoga therapist for
one hour, three times a week, for a duration of six weeks.

The study focused on self-reported improvements
to quality of life as well as on lung function as measured by recognized
medical methods, including spirometry. Patients reported an overall improvement
to their quality of life and tests showed that lung function improved on a
short-term basis.

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